The recent decline of the European honey bee and other pollinators in North America poses a serious challenge to our food supply and ecological health. About 75 percent of all flowering plants rely on pollinators in order to set seed or fruit, and from these plants comes one-third of the planet's food."Attracting Native Pollinators" is a comprehensive guidebook for gardeners, small farmers, orchardists, beekeepers, naturalists, environmentalists, and public land managers on how to protect and encourage the activity of the native pollinators of North America. Written by staff of the Xerces Society, an international nonprofit organization that is leading the way in pollinator conservation, this book presents a thorough overview of the problem along with positive solutions for how to provide bountiful harvests on farms and gardens, maintain healthy plant communinities in wildlands, provide food for wildlife, and beautify the landscape with flowers.Full-color photographs introduce readers to more than 80 species of native pollinators -- including bees, flies, butterflies, wasps, and moths -- noting each one's range and habits. The heart of the book provides detailed garden plans and techniques showing how to create flowering habitat to attract a variety of these pollinators, help expand the pollinator population, and provide pollinators with inviting nesting sites. Readers will also find useful instructions for creating nesting structures, educational activities for involving children, and an extensive list of resources. "Attracting Native Pollinators" is an essential reference book and action guide for anyone who is involved in growing food or is concerned about the future of our food supply.

Can gardening change the world? It certainly can when it comes to butterflies. Butterflies are in danger, but everyone who has a garden can do their part to make a difference. Gardening for Butterflies is an optimistic call to arms by the experts at the Xerces Society that provides home gardeners with everything they need to create a beautiful, beneficial, butterfly filled garden, no matter the size of their space. Hundreds of plants for all of North America are profiled, with colour photographs and growing information, along with tips on plant selection, installation and maintenance.

The plight of the monarch butterfly has captured public attention and sparked widespread interest in helping to save their dwindling populations. In this in-depth portrait of the monarch butterfly--covering its life cycle, its remarkable relationship with milkweed, its extraordinary migration, and the threats it now faces due to habitat loss and climate change--detailed instructions on how to design and create monarch-friendly landscapes are enriched by guidance on observing and understanding butterfly behavior and habits. Following the model of their previous best-selling book, 100 Plants to Feed the Bees, the Xerces Society provides at-a-glance profiles of the plant species that provide monarchs with nourishment. The plants, which are all commercially available, range from dozens of species of milkweed--the only food of monarch caterpillars--to numerous flowering plants, shrubs, and trees that provide nectar for the adult butterfly, including those that bloom in late season and sustain monarchs in their great migration. Gorgeous photographs of monarchs and plants, plus illustrations, maps, and garden plans, make this a visually engaging guide.

100 Plants to Save the Bees highlights the best species to attract and sustain honey bees, bumble bees, and other native bees and pollinators. Nectar rich and/or high value pollen plants will include varieties of native wildflowers, garden plants, native trees and shrubs, and native as well as non native bee pasture plants from alfalfa to vetch. Full colour photographs of the plant in bloom - many featuring bees busy at work - are accompanied by at a glance information including which pollinators the plant attracts and all the necessary planting data. Regional and seasonal planting guidelines ensure everyone can plant at the right time and in the right place to save their bees.

This comprehensive guide shows you how to create a farm or garden habitat that will attract beneficial insects and thereby reduce crop damage from pests without the use of pesticides. Four experts from the Xerces Society, a world leader in conservation and environmental issues, discuss the ecology of native beneficial insects and show how you can conserve their presence on your land through conservation biocontrol -- recognizing these insects and their habitat, reducing pesticide use, protecting existing habitat, and providing new habitat. Specific solutions and strategies include creating native plant field borders, mass insectary plantings, hedgerows, cover crops, buffer strips, beetle banks, and brush piles. Step-by-step illustrated instructions for these projects and more are accompanied by stunning full-color photography."